Resilient wheel.



L. H. GULBRANDSON.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED' Dsc.27,1913.

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jf M THE NORRIS PETERS C0., PHOTC-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. DV

L. H. GULBRANDSON.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

APPucATLoN FILED DEc.27.1913. y

Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

s SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fHE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

L. H. GULBHANDSON.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

APPLscATloN' FILED nec. 21, 1913.

, Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO., PHQTC-LITHO.. WASHINGUN, D. C4

LEWIS H. GULBRANDSON, OF HAYWARD, MINNESOTA.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

intensas.

Application led December 27, 1913.

T0 all whom t may concern Be it known that I. Lnwis I-l. GULBRAND- soN, citizen of the United States, residing at Hayward, in the county of Freeborn and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Resilient Wheels, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to spring or resilient wheels.

It is the primary object of the invention to provide an improved construction of spring wheel wherein all strain and stress attendant upon the travel of a vehicle over uneven surfaces or road inequalities may be received and absorbed, the wheel being of such novel and peculiar construction as to eliminate the disadvantages incidental to wheels equipped with tires of the pneumatic type.

The invention also has for its object a resilient wheel, the parts of which are eflectively held together in a simple manner and are readily accessible for purposes of repair.

The invention further contemplates a resilient wheel in which the operative parts are soarranged as to effectively reduce friction and wear, and particularly the tractive wear attendant upon the sudden starting or stopping of the vehicle.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in their preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification and then more particularly pointed out in the claims which are appended hereto and form a part of this application.

ln describing my invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a part side elevation and part longitudinal sectional view of a resilient wheel constructed in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a cross or transverse sectional view; Fig. 3 is a side elevation, the opposite side to that illustrated in Fig. 1 eing shown; Fig. 4 is an elevation of one of the hub sections employed -in connection with the present invention; Fig. 5 is a similar view, the other of the hub sections being illustrated; Fig. 6 is an elevation of the tread portion of the wheel; Fig. 7 is a plan view of one of the leaf or plate springs; and

Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

serial No. 809,041.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the detail construction of one of the attaching bolts.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals, 1 designates, as an entirety, the wheel hub, the same comprising a pair of jointed sections designated respectively 2 and 3, the former being the inner and the latter the outer hub section. The inner section 2 is provided with a peripheral flange 4 to which the brake drum 5 is detachably secured through the medium of bolts or other elements 6. The outer extremity of the said section 2 is recessed as at 7 to form a seat for the enlarged extremity 8 of the outer section 3, such engagement providing a. means whereby the said two sections are maintained against lateral movement independent of each other. A second peripheral` flange 9 is formed upon the inner section 2 of the hub, the said last mentioned flange being comparatively large for a purpose to be hereinafter fully set forth. The outer section 3 is also provided with a peripheral iiange 10 which, with the said Flange 9 forms an angular groove or channel within which one end of the spokes 11 are seated. Bolts 12 extend transversely of the said spokes 11 from one to the other of the said flanges 9 and 10 to provide a securing means whereby the said spokes and the hub 1 will be made to move in unison.

To provide for the rigid support of the spokes 11, a channel like rim 13, substantially U-shaped in cross section, is arranged over the extremities of the spoke, the latter, as is illustrated to advantage in Fig. 2 of the drawings, being seated within the channel and maintained immovable with respect to said rim through the medium of bolts 14 extending transversely therethrough.

Over the periphery of the rim 13, and in spaced relation thereto, I provide a suitable casing designated as an entirety 15, the said casing in its preferred embodiment comprising an outer casing section 16, the periphery of which is provided with an annular flange 17 which with a like iiange 18 of theother casing section 19 forms the felly or tread portion of the wheel. The said outer casing section 16 is concentrically depressed as at 2O to form a seat within which a portion of the hub 1 is fitted, the said depressed portion also serving in the capacity of a dust cap for the spindle (not shown) upon which the wheel is mounted. The inner casing section is concentrically enlarged as at 2l, the said enlargement having'a central opening 22 Y Y formed therein within which a suitable collar 23, angular in vcross section, is arranged,

one-extension of the collar overlapping the said enlarged portion 21 of the inner casing section, and the other extremity of the collar engaging the peripheral flange 9 of the hub section 2, the latter, as above suggested, providing a closure forfthe opening 22.

Betweenv the rim and felly of the wheel and pivoted to the flange 18, I dispose a plurality'of links or plate springs`24-the free lends of which abut or frictionally engage vthe periphery of the said rim, and as the tension of the'several springs is equal, it is apparent that the hub is normally supported in axial alinement with the longitudinal axis Y of the casing 15;

Both casing sections 16 `and 19 are provided with a/plurality of juxtaposed or op- Vlffandfl), I provide anattaching bolt 30 the extremitiesof Vwhich are Vthreaded as at 31 to'provide for the arrangement thereupon Y ofnuts 32, the latter being upon the exterior ofthe lcasing'section as indicated vin Fig. 8 of the drawings. To maintain the said cas- V`ing section in the desired spaced relation, the said bolt 30 is venlarged as at 83 adjacent each end, against which enlargement the said sections respectively abuts. If desired, the vwheel maybe provided with aremovable tread 34, so shaped or constructed as to eliminate the use lof Lmud-chainsfor other non-skidding devices now employed.v

From as much yof the description as has preceded, together with theH accompanying y drawings, particularly Fig.` 1, it willbe understood that any radial stress or shock on the :tread portion of the wheel will be'received and Aabsorbed by the leaf or plate springs 24, taken in connection with the helical springs 26, while any tractive pull y 'of-tread will be taken care of particularly by aslight circumferential movement of the entirefcasing', fas suchvmovement 1s permitted by reason'of the novel and peculiar ar- A rangement `ofthe casing withA respect l'to that n' Y f- :portion of the wheell rigidy with the spokes 1 1.

It will `be notedrthatunder the'influence `of excess' pressure, the hub 1' will -be forced out of axial alinement with the longitudinal axis of the casing 15, such movement of the hub and the rim rigid therewith being directly against the tension of the springs 24, as the latter by reason of their engagement with the said rim tend to normally centralize the said hub. The springs 24 not only receive and absorb the usual stress and strain, for it is apparent that the disposition of the springs 26 by reason of their relation tothe casing, will forcibly maintain the enlarged or head portion 29 of the spring support in firm frictional engagement with the spokes 11, and as the said springs as well as the said head portion 29 are stationary with respect to the casing, it is apparent that the beveled end of the said head Vportion will frictionally engage the spokes 11 during lateral movement of the latter with the hub.

In reduction to practice, I have found that the form of my-invention, illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the 'above description, as the preferred embodiment, is the most emcient and practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necesfsarily vary, I desire to emphasize-the fact that various minor changes, in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus fullyfdescribed my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a spring wheel, an outer wheel structure, an inner wheel structure movable radially relatively thereto, radial spokes forming a part of said inner wheel structure, abutment blocks arranged in pairs, the several blocks engaging the spokes aforesaid, a spring interposed between'the blocks I' constituting the respective pairs, means to preclude radial movement of said blocks relatively to the outer structure, said blocks being relatively movable against tension of said springs to cushion the radial movement of said inner wheel structure, and means to prevent distortion of the several springs.

2. In a spring wheel, an outer wheel structure,fan inner wheel structure-'movable relatively to the outer'structure, said inner wheel structure comprising a hub, radial spokes, and an inner rim, spring devices interposed between the inner rim and the outer structure, abutment blocks arranged lin pairs and disposed for -engagement with the spokes, a spring interposed between the blocks constituting the .respective pairs, means precluding radial movement of the several-blocks relatively-to the outer wheel structure, said blocks being relatively movable against tension of the associated springs incident to yielding radial movement of the hub, spokes and inner rim.

3. A spring wheel including a two-part casing, a peripheral flange formed integrally with each part of said casing, said fianges being disposed to overlap each other and to provide the tread portion of the wheel, a hub, spokes rigid with said hub and radiating therefrom, a channel-like rim rigid with said spokes, said hub, spokes and rim being bodily movable within said casing, spring means interposed between said rim and said tread portion of the Wheel to provide a yieldable support for said hub,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the spring means interposed between said spokes, said means being incapable of lat` eral movement independent of said casing, and friction blocks engageable with said spokes and said last mentioned spring 20 means, said spokes being slidable to compress said blooks to provide, with said rst mentioned spring means, a yieldable sup port for said hub.

In testimony whereof I aiiX my signature 25 Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

